We'll continue to push for the Disability Rights Bill - Irene Patrick-Ogbogu

We'll continue to push for the Disability Rights Bill - Irene Patrick-Ogbogu

- The Disability Rights Bill is one bill that has being in the National Assembly for a while

- Irene Patrick-Ogbogu, the Executive Director of Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC), is one of those leading the charge in ensuring that the bill is passed

- DRAC recently met with traditional and religious leaders to advance the cause of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)

The Executive Director of Disability Rights Advocacy Center (DRAC), Irene Patrick-Ogbogu, has assured Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria that stakeholders and disability actors are doing all they can to ensure that their rights are protected.

Patrick-Ogbogu made this statement in an interview with Legit.ng after DRAC hosted traditional and religious leaders to a sensitization meeting on GBV/DBV disability inclusion for PWDs in Abuja on Tuesday, November 21 and Wednesday, November 22 respectively.

We'll continue to push for the Disability Rights Bill - Irene Patrick-Ogbogu
Patrick-Ogbogu says more senators are being approached to help the cause of People With Disabilities. inclusivenews.com.ng

The event is part of activities under the Networking to Stop Violence against Women and Girls with Disabilities Project.

According to her, many stakeholders are putting pressure on the National Assembly to pass the bill, adding that awareness materials to advocate for the passage of that bill are being developed.

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We'll continue to push for the Disability Rights Bill - Irene Patrick-Ogbogu
Some of the traditional leaders at the event. Photo credit: Offiong Ita

He words: “The disability rights bill is one bill that many stakeholders and disability actor are interested in. We constantly go on advocacy visit. We have developed awareness materials to advocate for the passage of that bill.

“We are constantly interfacing with different senators. We have visited the Senate president, he promised to look into it. We have visited the chairman Senate committee on health, that of civil society. We continue to get assurances.

“This is what we can do at this level. The legislative process is not what we have control over. We can only appeal to the senators to help us fast-track all these processes.

“At the level of the executive, when the bill gets to the executive, we will continue to engage with them to ensure that the president gives it assent.

“We have engaged with the leadership of CAN, and as a Christian body, they have assured us that they will put in a word whenever they visit the president or the vice-president.

“We are looking for different pockets of stakeholders, different influential people who can also influence these decision makers to do justice to do the bill. We are also doing some level of public awareness so that citizens are also demanding for the passage and assent of the bill.”

At the interactive sessions with traditional and religious leaders, the DRAC boss charged them to ensure the rights of PWDs in their domains are adequately protected.

We'll continue to push for the Disability Rights Bill - Irene Patrick-Ogbogu
Community leaders at the event. Photo credit: Offiong Ita

She decried the discrimination against PWDs in religious settings and communities, urging the leaders to help change the narrative and sensitising their subjects.

She called on the leaders to integrate socio-economic support and recognise the skills and talents of PWDs.

She stated that disability is the barriers put in place by the society, stressing that low regard, expectations and attitudinal dispositions towards PWDs is one of the biggest challenges they face.

“Disability is strongly linked to poverty. It is about inequality. It is a disadvantage that limits people's access,” she said.

On their parts, the leaders assured the DRAC team of their commitment to ensure the rights of PWDs in their domains are respected.

At the end of the events, the leaders signed a declaration and commitment to ending violence against women and girls with disabilities in the Federal Capital Territory.

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People with disabilities challenge Nigerian ministers on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng

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